Safety railway-switch.



I. A CALL. SAFETY RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLIUATIDN rILBn A111131. 1909.

Patented June 20, 1911.

'mj l ,l 1 QW.

y QW@ @s i rails against yside thrusts. As is well known,

' an tnd to force this rail out of its proper 4rnvizrnl) sfrfrrns PArENTlois-Flon.

IRA A. CALL, 0F DENVER, COLORADO.

995,950 Specification of Application led August 31 To all whom 'it mayconcern:

Beit known that I, IRA A. CALI., a citizen of .the United States,residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colo-,rado,`have invented new and useful Improvements` in SafetyRailway-Switches, of which the' following:r is a full, clear, concise,and exact description, reference beingr had to the accompanying drawing,forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in safetyrailway switches of thattype wherein means are provided for preventing, the switch from changingits position while the train is passing thercover, which would result inpart of the train passing along the main track-and the rest of the trainpassing into the sidinr.

Hcretofore in devices of this class, so far as I'am mirare,A when theswitch' is thrown to 1such a position that the train is caused to runout'iupoi'l the siding no effective means have been provided for holdingthe movable ,when a moving train is turned from a straight'track into asiding or other curved portion of track the tendency of the train tocontinue f,in a straight line causes the {langes onthe wheels f one sideof the train to en` ga e'tlie 'innel ide of the head of the 'rail It is,therefore, one`of the objects of my invention ifo-- Jrovide a form ofrailway switch in whin the tendency .of the moving'l train,4 whexrtheSwitch is .set `so that the train maytake theisidng, will be lto move.thestub rails ihtocloser engagement with the stops ,rather thanuto movethem away safety,`as is clearly. evident. f A Anotheribbjec v of theinvention Ais to pro# videa 'l from'saidjstopsv'his 4results in greaterI ,.inA-avliich-ir'centinuo s'linke'x /tends whe fired orl immowab epart of'i i I Letteratent Patented June 20, 1911.

, 1909. Serial No. 515,485.

the main track in front of the switch to the immovable rails be ond theswitch in order that 4theI rails in ront of and beyond the switch mayneither work toward each other occur unless the device as a whole moveslover bodily. Another object of the invention is to provide a switch inwhich the movable stnb rails rest upon and work over a rigid bed, onwhich bed are fulcrnmed or otherwise stipportcd the various movinglevers and the like which are employed in the mechanism of the device,whereby shifting of the track due to expansion and contraction oftherrails or other causes may not disrrange the'.switcl1. A stillfurther object is to provide4 a switch in which a train proceeding fromthe trailingl side the eof, either upon the'main line track or thesiding, will automatically throw the switch to such a positionL that thetrain may proceed out unon the main line rails at the facing side o theswitch, it being unnecessary that the switch be thrown by hand to permitthe train to run from the trailingr side thereof to the facing side.

A still further object is to provide means whereby if the switch bethrown only partially to the siding position the track which the lirsttruck of the train takes will determine which track willlbe taken bythe' following trucks. If the first truck takes the siding theswitchwillbe thrown completel)1 over to siding position, or if,on the otherhand, the first truck of the train takes the-'main line rails, theswitch will be thrown completely-,to :main line position in order thatthe rest vof the train may follow the first .trclcn N l V`Otherobjectsand. advantages will a pear in 'rthef followin roospecification and'` c aims,

ltakenni'n connectlon with the accompanying f.

drawings in whichv lan view 4of the device.- Fig.

fEigure lis a -2 is a side elevational View of the same; j; Eig. e

portiin Slate" with .the stubfails'lndtde'lrends o e otherrailsinpositionthereon.`-

plateyforms the is a lon 'tudinal'sectionalviewfo-asu link whichextemltf1161,;

from one side of the switch to the other; and Fig. 4. is a cross-sectionon the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

The main track rails approaching the switch from one side are indicated5, 5 while the main track rails on the trailing side of the switch areindicated 6, 6. The siding rails are indicated 7, 7. The rails 5, 5 ex,tend to and rest upon a pair of plates 8 and 9, which plates extendforward to and under the siding rails 7, 7 and main track rails 6, 6 on.the trailing side of the switch. Therails 6, 6 and 7, 7 as well as therails 5, 5 are bolted to the plates 8 and 9 so that it is im ossible forthe rails on either the approac ling or trailing side of the switch tomove longitudinally and thus shorten the space between the end of theserails. Extendingfrom each rail 5 to the correspond ing rails 6 and 7 isa structure comprising a pair of movable rails 1Q and 11. Each pair ofrails 10 and 11 is preferably made as a4 single piece, but may evidentlyconsist of separate rails bolted together side by side. This structureis connected, at the trailing side of the switch, as at 12, to the rails6 und. 7, so Athat rail 10 formsv a continuation of rail 7 and rail 11constitutes a continuation of rail 6. of the two pairs of stub rails areconnected together in p roper spaced relation by tie rods 13 and 14-andslide over the plates 8 andi), either the rails 10, 10 or the rails 1l,11 being brought into -alin`en1ent with the rails 5 as desired.

Extending from one side of the stub rail 11- on the right-hand side ofthe track is a lug 15 to which is connected by a slot-and-pin connectionan elbow lever 16 which is fulcrumed on a plate 17`rivcted to the plate,'9. The opposite end of the lever 16 is provided with a pin 18 to'which is connected with a lost-motion connection a ull rod 19 whichextends back along the right-hand side of the track to an automatic tripdevice which is ada )ted to be engaged by suitable means carrie by thelocomotive or first car of a train when it is desired to operate theswitch from the ti'ain rather than from a tower or the like. This rod 19is su ported bctweenits ends in a suitable slide )caring carried by abracket 20 which is secured to a tic. If a pull be exerted upon the rod19 the elbow lever 16 is swung on its4 ivot and draws the movable endsof the trac is 10 and 11 over into the position in which the rails,

10.are brmlght into alinemeut witlrjlnf. 'jails 5, the rails 5 beingthereby made continuous with #residing rails 7.

Securedto the. outside ofthe rail 10 on the opposite or left-hand sideof the track is a rod or bolt 2l, surrounding which is a coiled spring22 inclosedin a suitable housing` 23 and arranged to be compressed b themoving of the stub rails to slding posi- The mov'able ends up through ano )ening in the tion or the position which makesjthe siding railscontinuous with the rails 5. Thls tonormal or main line posit-ion.

Extending along the outer side thel left-hand main line rai15 is adetector bar or side rail 24. This detector bar is carried by a seriesof links 25, each of whicli is pivoted at its lowerend to a. bracket-26m` cured to the under side of the rail and4 at its upper end to theVdetector bar. Thisbar. normally lies with its upper edgeggevenf withthe top ofthe rail, but when moved Vforward it rises sothat its upperedge rojects somewhat above the rail. Secure to one of the links 25 is arock-shaft 27 which extends laterally and is supported at fits springtends, therefore, to restore the switch' outer end in a suitable bracket28 secured to tending upward from the plate 8. The i cam plate 31 hasits rollerenga-ging sur; faces so formed that when4 the switch 'isthrown from one position to the other the movable end of the cam plateis caused toA swing insuch a direction as to pull the 30 forward andthus raise the detector bar .24. After the highest part of the campasses the roller 33 the bar falls to normal osition and remains in thisposition unti the switch is again shifted, whereupon the deter-tor bar1s first. raised and then lowered with the point of the cam on theother-side of the roller.

If a train approaching on the rails 5 has thrown the switch to thesiding positio'ii, or if the switch has been thrown from a tower or thelike, as soon as the front truck of the locomotive passes upon thedetector .bar 2.4; the lutter is held down by the train'and-thc switchis prevented from hein returned vto main line position, either b tiesprin 22 or :my other means, until t 1e last truc: of the last car haspassed into the siding. The detector bar is, in ,raetice, madelongenough so that after the rst truck o'f the train has passed upon thedetector bar a truck will of the train ias passed off the rails 5, 5.N-'second detector bnr 34 extends along the outer side of the lefthandksidin V'rail 7, this detector 'bar being carried b inkstlti similarto the links 25. A roept-shaft 36 extends from this detector bar toabearing plate 37 ariirfged below the plate 8. 'An arm 38 isi-secured tothis shaft allidfxstends rod 39 connects tiis arm 38 wit a knucklealways be u on the bar' until the last truck.

loq

tao

1 the si 40. one end 0f the knuckle being secured to a lu 41 on the rail10, while the opposite end 1s secured to a plate; 42 which is bolted tothe late 8. The moving of the switch to ding position partlystraiglitens the knuckle 4t) and thrusts the rod 39 forward, thuspermitting the detector bar 34 to drop. After the first truck of thetrain which is passing onto the -iding reaches the detector liar 34 theswitch cannot shift to thc main line position until the last trut-k ofthe train has passed olf the detector bar 34. After the last truck hasthus passed oli' the detector bar 34 the detector liar is permitted torise and the knuckle 40 is thus pei'iiiitted to bend to the positionshown in Fig. l, the spring Q2 moving the switch to noi'iiial ormainline position.

If a train is ori the siding and desires to run out. upon the main trackit. is not necessary that the switch be thrown hy hand, as the passageof the train upon the detector bar 34 automatically throws the switch tosiding position. As before stated the dctcctor liar is normally raisedabove the levelI of the rail 7. Vlicn the train coming out of the sidingpasses upon the detector liar the lattenis depressed, thus drawing therod 8t) forward and straightening the knuckle 40. This throws the switchover to siding position against the teiidenov of the spring Q2 to holdthe same in main line position..

After the last truck of the train has left the detector liar 34 theswitch eamiot he thrown to niain line position by tht` spring 32 whilethe last truck is still upon the stub rails he cause one or more trucksare at this time"v upii the rails 5, 5 and are holding down the detectorbar 24. and locking the stub rails stationary. After the last truck haspassed off the detector bar 24 this detector liar is permitted to riseand allows the switch to shift to niiiin line position, the detector barthen falling again to its lower position.

A third detector bar 43 is arranged at the right-hand side of theright-liaiid iiiaiii line rail (l, this detector bar lwing carried bylinks 44 in u manner similar to the detectar hars already described. Arock shaft 45 journaled in a bearing Vplate 46 secured to the undersideof the plate 9, has an arm 47 extending upward therefrom and connected4by means if 'a rod 484 with a' knuckle 49. This knuckle is secured atone of its ends to a plate 49* which is bolted to `the plate 9, itsopposite end being'connected to a u r on the rig it-hand rail 11.Normally the tetector bar`43 is in its/lower position with the upper ede thereof evenwitli the top of the rail.. en the switch is thrown to thesiding po-` sition the knuckle 49 is caused 'to bend, thus drawing onthe ull rod 48 and 'moving the arm 47 and raising the detector bar 43.1f,

'for any reason l `such as the partial clogging of thewswitch yaccumulations of snowvor stops.

Atrous results may of course ensue.

Secured to the plate 8, inside the left-i hand main track stub railll,are suitable stops 50, which may consist of short bars riveted to theplate 8. Similar stops 51' are secured to the plate 8 outside theright-hand main track stub rail. When the switch is thrown to the sidingposition these sto s determine the movement of the stub rai s and alsoserve to hold the stub rails from being forced over too far by theflanges on the wheels of a train passinginto the siding, which wouldpermit the wheels to drop ofi' the rails 5 down upon the road bed. Itwill lie seen that the tendency of the train to move in a straight lineis utilized to hold the switch in siding position while the train ispassing into the siding. Also it will be ob seri-ed that when the trainis passing out of the siding to the main line the inertia of the train,or the tendency thereof to continue .in a straight line, holds theswitch against the In switches of older foriiis the tendency of themoving train is to throw theA switch to main line position, thisbeing-ob-- jeetionalilc fol' the reason that'thc iiiecha-.. iiisiiiwhich moves the switch must be depeiided upon, rather tlianaiiy positivestrips,

to liold the switch rails stationary. If the rails of the switch arepermitted toniove4 while the train is passing tliercover disas- I other:stops and 53 limit the movement ofthe switch when moved to the open orniain line position.

Al` ougli the switch forming the subject of my present invention mav beoperated from a tower, and is well adapted for use in this way, Iprovide, in some cases, means for operating the same from the locomotiveor head car of a train. suitable throwover device ,is located ut apoint, preferablyat one side ofthe track, where 1t may be ienfcgaged ysuitable triping means located upon the locomotive `on In such a case aiead car andl adapted to be manually.- l

thrown into operative position from-.tlie Y drivers cab. This trippingmeans which bar 55 on the throw-.over device. This :del

vice is so located as -to be o icrated by the` trip ing -bar 64 shortlybe ore the train a tnioaallile e reac es the detector `har 2 4.Thepliite 54.. is bolted to a base plate 56 whichl isseciired to thelbase ofthe rail 5,- wliile the baii is:

carried by, e series. ,9f links51lfwliicli argl-30 l V`weightlof thetrain upon the detector `liar 43 will cailse"tlii!%'witcli.to he tln'ownto the -be bolted to a tie, while the opposite end of pivoted at one endof each to the bar 55 and at their o posite ends to suitable brackets 58whie are bolted to the base plate 56. One of the links 57 has an arm 59extending therefrom, and to the outer l.-nd of this arm is connected therod 19 throu h which the switch is thrown. A turn buckle 60 is arrangedinthe rod 19 so that the rod may be shortened or lengthened as requiredin adjustment. A sprin 61 is coiled around the rod 19 and is seate atone end against a bracket 62 which may '--ie spring thrusts a ainst acollar or the like 63 on the rod. n order that the trip bar 64 which iscarried by the locomotive may be guided, in between the plate and bar 55the plate 1s provided with an inclined guide strip 511a and the frontend the bar is tapered. lVhen the trip bar 64 passes in between theplate 54 and bar 55 of the throw-over device the bar 55 is caused tomove away from the plate 54, this move- 4 ment beingtransmitted throughthe arm 59 to the rod 19, which latter moves the elbow lever 16 on itspivot, thus throwingplr the `-`vieh to the siding position. Immediatelythereafter the front truck of the train passes upon the detector bar 24,this taking-place before the trip rod 64 has passed out from between thebar 55 andthe plate 54. The weight of the train upon the detector bar24:, as above explained, locks the switch in whichever position it is inwhen the train )asses upon the detectorbar. The switch aving been thrownto siding position and the train having passed upon the'detector bar 24before the trip mechanism is released, it is evidentthatthe switch mustremain in siding position as long as the train is passing over thedetector bar 24. The switch cannot be shifted to main line positionuntil tlic lastcar has not only passed over the detector bar 24. butalso passed over the stub' rails and the4 detector bar 34.

Tf a train should approach the vswitch on the rails 6, 6 and for anyreason, such as-the failure of the springv22 to move they switch to mainline position, the switch should be in the siding iosition or betweenthe main line and si( ing positions, the

mainilne position as herciubcfore explained-:s

A source of frequent trouble with switches has heretofore been thetendency of the rails which approach thc-switch from each side to creepalongr the ties, due to the lralic theroover. Another cause of troublehas been the expansion and contraction of the rails at each side of theswitch due to te|nperatnre changes. Where the levers and other movableparts are secu red or connected movable rails 44work over plates whichextend from the stationary rails at one'side of the switch to thestationary rails at the other side othe switch, these stationar railsand lates being securely boltedtoget er so that if the stationary railsshould creep or shift laterally the plates must move with the rails.Furthermore, the number of levers, toggles and the like required issmall for this type of switch and these are carried by and fulcrumed orotherwise su ported upon the plates 8 and 9. Itwjll t us be seen that ifthe rails 5, G and 7 creep or shift the Whole switch. including theoperatin mechanism therefor, will move together, t e device as a wholeremaining in operative condition and the rails havin their ends properlyalined with each ot er at all times.Y In order to etlectually resist thetendency of the rails 5 to creep toward the rails 6 and 7, or viceversa, shoulders are formed on the plates 8 and 9 by thickeninrtheportion 65 upon which rest the movalile rails 10 and 11, the rails 5,6and 7 resting upon the thinner portions at the ends of the plates andabutting,T these shoulders.

If desired an ordinary hand switch stand (56 may be provided formanually throwing thc switch. The actuating rod 67 'of the switch standis connected to the lug 15 and transmits movement from an operating armor lever (58 to the movable rails of the switch. As the connectionbetween the main operating rod 19 and the operatin elbow lever 16 is alost-motion connection t. is may he donc without interference on thepart of the throw-over device. lVhere the switch is intended to beoperated exclusively from a tower the hand switch stand and thethrow-over device will not be installed, but when il; is intended to ocrate the switch mainly from the train the liandswitehstahd will beprovided in addition to the throw'- over device in order to obviate theneeessit of equipping.; every ear or locomotive with the tripping means.

Having thus described my invention,what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters latent, is:

.L Afrailway switch comprising a pair of al'ii'oaling'n'ain line-rmils;a pair of trailing main lino rails; a'y pair 0f siding rails; two pairsof stub rails, one pair of stub rails being permanently alined with saidsiding rails, and the other pair of stab rails being permanently 'alinedwith saidtrailing main line rails, and said pairs of stub rails beinmovable to nlakeseem-implyingA between siding rails and said approachingmain ine to the ties the ties have shifted and thrown lio and saidapproaching main line rails 5 a stop for limiting the movement of saidstub rails when moved toward the siding position .whereby sur-lf stoptakes the impact. of the traV in in entering the siding, said stopheilig rigidly connected to one of said approaching main line rails; andautomatic mechanism for etl'ecting the movement' of said stub rails,said automatic mechanism being rigidly connected to one oi saidapproaching main line rails` p f2. A railway switch comprising a pairofapljnoaehingnain line rails; a pair'of trailing main line rails; a pairof siding rails; two pairs ot' stub rails; one p'air of stub railsvbeing permanently alined with said siding rails, and the other pair of.stub rails being permamrntly alined with said trailing main line rails,and said pairs of stub rails being movable to make connection betweensaid siding rails and said approaching main line rails or between saidtrailing main line rails and said approaching main line rails; metallicmeans for supporting said pairs of Stub rails and rigidly connectingsaid approaching and trailing main line rails and said siding railstogether; stops for limiting the movement of said stub rails in bothdirections, said stops being mounted rigidly upon said supporting andconnecting means, whereby all of the parts are immovably connectedtogether; and automatic mechanism for effecting the movement of saidstub rails, said automatic mechanism being rigidly connected to one ofsaid approaching main l line rails.

'said supporting 3. A railway switch comprising a pair of approachingmain line rails; a pair of trailing main line rails; a pair of sidingrails; two pairs of stub rails, one pair of stub rails being permanentlyalined with said siding rails,`and the other pair of stub rails beingpermanently alined Awith said trailing main line rails, and said pairsof stub rails being movable to make connection between said sidingrailsl and said approaching main line Iails or between said trailingmain line rails and said approaching main line rails; metallic means forsupporting said pairs of stub rails and rigidly connecting saidapproaching and trailing main line rails and said siding rails together;stops for limiting the movement ol' said stub rails in both directions,said stops being mounted rigidly upon and connecting means, whereby allof the parts are immovably conneeted together; and automatic mechanismfor etleeting the. Increment of said stub rails, said automaticmechanism hav-ing a portion thereof connected to one of'said approachingmain line ails and having another portionV thereof connected to Saidmetallic supporting and connecting means; all' as and for thepnrposesset forth..

`.In wit-ness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in thepresence of two witmesses.

IRA A. CALL.

Witnesses:

W. L. Faxman, Unas. L. IIoeniNs.

